Column: Let sleeping voters lie

One aspect of the Conservatives’ Fair Election Act that seems to be troubling columnists and editorialists is its provision that Elections Canada may inform citizens when, where and how to vote — well, not “how” in the sense of for whom but “how” in the sense of how to make an X, how to fold the ballot, and so on — but may not engage in advertising to encourage Canadians to vote.

One aspect of the Conservatives’ Fair Election Act that seems to be troubling columnists and editorialists is its provision that Elections Canada may inform citizens when, where and how to vote — well, not “how” in the sense of for whom but “how” in the sense of how to make an X, how to fold the ballot, and so on — but may not engage in advertising to encourage Canadians to vote.

It’s not actually that hard to understand. The most cynical interpretation possible is that the Tories have done focus groups and polls that suggest marginal voters, those who might actually be influenced by ads urging them to get out and vote, don’t much like the Tories but tend instead to vote Liberal or NDP or Green or maybe even Marxist-Leninist or Marijuana party. In which case, ads encouraging such people to vote are actually anti-Tory ads. In buying them, the Chief Electoral Officer really is a referee wearing a red, orange, green, double-red or hemp sweater, but not a blue sweater.

A less cynical interpretation is that our elections are already frightfully expensive — $7 per man, woman and child; $17 per voter — and that any way of making them cheaper is a good thing. Elections Canada’s budget for “electoral engagement” is $8.5 million. Eliminating it won’t balance the federal budget. But every little bit helps — a rule that should also be applied to all the other government advertising cascading out of our TV and computer screens.

“It doesn’t matter how you vote, just make sure you do vote” is probably the oldest bromide in broadcasting. Anchors across the land intone it every election day. And they’re dead wrong. It does matter who people vote for. That’s the whole point of voting. If, as a rule, people don’t pay any attention to politics, they should think twice about whether they want to cast an uninformed vote. And we should think twice about encouraging them.

That you’re reading an opinion piece on an op-ed page suggests you’re much better informed than the average Canadian about current affairs, politics, public policy, party programmes and everything else that goes into a sensible decision about whom to vote for. I have no doubt we’d have a better city council, provincial legislature and federal parliament if only Citizen readers could vote. Of course, it would be foolish and, somewhat less importantly, undemocratic to suggest such a rule. Voting is the cherished right of every citizen. Except that many of us don’t cherish it enough to actually go out and exercise it.

But choosing not to vote is a democratic right, too. I don’t suppose very many of the tens of thousands of Canadians who have died for this country figured they were sacrificing themselves so subsequent generations of Canadians could stay home on election day. On the other hand, the right to vote may not really have been uppermost in their minds, either. The freedom not to be bossed around, whether by stormtroopers or anyone else, may have been more in their thoughts.

If people decide not to vote, why is it the job of the rest of us to pool our tax dollars and theirs, hire an advertising company and try to persuade them to change their minds?

I don’t think I’ve missed voting in a federal election in more than four decades. I’m not quite sure why I do it. Sense of duty. Sense of community. Social occasion. Desire to have my say. Democratic sacrament. Support my team. Habit. Probably a bit of all of these. But my voting was not entirely a rational act. None of my candidates has ever won or lost by one vote. Had I stayed home the result would not have been affected.

If people do rationally weigh the benefits of voting, which are not great, against the costs of having to get the kids organized, leave work early — though you think that would count on the benefit side — remember where the polling station is, find parking, stand in line and so on, and in the end decide it’s not worth the bother, that’s their right. It is still, thanks to all those gallant souls, a free country.

If other people feel they really haven’t been paying attention and aren’t familiar enough with the issues or the candidates to make a considered judgment, well, I’d be inclined to thank them for staying out of decision-making they don’t feel themselves qualified to participate in. If still others think it doesn’t matter who’s elected because all office-holders will face the same constraints, I’m sure they’re wrong but, again, that’s up to them.

If lots of people not voting has the effect of increasing the importance of my own vote — if in effect they’re wiling to leave the decisions to those of us who do participate — I for one am more than willing to take on the extra responsibility and influence. More power to them! Or rather to me.

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